The Uttar Pradesh government has extended the Corona curfew in the state till 31st of this month. The existing restrictions were supposed to end tomorrow morning.

Covid curfew is also helping in State Governments efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus. first time after a gap of more than 45 days, the total number of covid patients in the state has come down to below 1 lakh mark. State currently has 94480 active covid cases which is around 3 lakh less than the  number during peak time of Corona. Recovery rate in the state has also jumped to 93%. In the last 24 hours around 6000 new covid patients have been found in the state while the number of recovered patients in the same period is around 17000.

State has also made a new record of highest covid tests in the country.  Yesterday more than 300000 tests were conducted. Vaccination for people aged between 18 to 44 years will continue in each and every district of state from 1st of June. Presently it is going on in 18 cities and initially it started in 7 cities only.

Centre has said that the vaccination drive at workplaces could be extended to all employees as well as their family members and dependents. The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has written a letter to all States and Union Territories in this regard. It said, for vaccinating beneficiaries in industrial and private workplace Covid Vaccination Centres, the vaccine doses will have to be procured by the private hospitals with which the employers tie up for Vaccination.

In case of government workplace vaccination centres, beneficiaries who are 45 years old or more are eligible to get the Vaccine for free from the doses supplied by the Centre to the states and UTs. However, the beneficiaries in the age group of 18 to 44 should be vaccinated from the doses directly procured by the respective state and UT governments directly from the vaccine manufacturers.

Centre has convened a high level meeting today to discuss CBSE Class 12 Board exams and other upcoming entrance tests. The meeting, which will be chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, will be attended by Union Ministers Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Smriti Irani and Prakash Javadekar, among others. Education Minister Nishank said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi desires that any decision affecting the career of students has to be taken in consultation with all state governments and stakeholders. Mr Nishank recently held a meeting with the State Education Secretaries in this regard. He said the consultative process will be further strengthened through today’s high level meeting.

All State Government Education Ministers and Secretaries have been requested to attend this virtual meeting and to share their views regarding upcoming examinations. Mr Nishank also sought suggestions from people through Twitter.

A low pressure area has formed over the East Central Bay of Bengal. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, it will intensify into a cyclonic storm by today and further into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm thereafter. It is likely to cross West Bengal-North Odisha and Bangladesh coast by the 26th evening. Accordingly, all the coastal districts of Odisha are prepared with identification and cleaning up of cyclone shelters and evacuation plans.

Meanwhile, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba met yesterday to review the preparedness of Central and State Governments and agencies to deal with Cyclonic Storm ‘Yaas’ in the Bay of Bengal. Reviewing the preparedness of the Central and State agencies, he stressed that  all measures should be taken in a timely manner so that loss of lives and destruction of property is minimized.

Mr. Gauba also stressed that safety of COVID patients be ensured and disruption of functioning of COVID Hospitals and Centres avoided. Director General of the India Meteorological Department , briefed the committee about the latest status of the cyclone, which is expected to reach West Bengal and adjoining northern Odisha coasts by Wednesday evening with wind speeds ranging from 155 to 165 kilometres per hour.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretaries and officers of West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar and Puducherry. Secretaries of Ministries of Home, Power, Shipping, Telecom, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Civil Aviation, Fisheries, Chairman of Railway Board, Member-Secretary NDMA, IDS Chief  and DGs of Coast Guard, NDRF and IMD also participated in the meeting.

Cyclone Yaas is likely to intensify into a “very severe cyclonic storm” and cross the Odisha and the West Bengal coasts on Wednesday. India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, a low pressure area has formed over the east-central Bay of Bengal and the adjoining north Andaman Sea yesterday. It is likely to cross West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha and Bangladesh coasts around the evening of 26th May, the IMD said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting at 11 AM today with Home Minister Amit Shah & top government officials to review preparedness for Cyclone Yaas. The high level meeting will be attended by representatives from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Secretaries from Telecom, Power, Civil aviation and Earth Sciences apart from officials from other Ministries and Central Agencies.